100 of the best things to do in London - part two

26. Travel on the Thames Clipper service Plenty of cruise companies ply services along the Thames, but if you’d just like a quick, cheap jaunt, catch the Thames Clipper service popular with London commuters. You get discounted fares if you use your Oyster card and its Tate Modern-to-Tate Britain is particularly useful.

27. Admire the collection at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace The Queen’s Gallery is a sumptuously finished exhibition space converted from a private chapel. It displays a continually changing collection of works from the Royal Collection, and regularly hosts special talks and tours for those who would like to learn about artworks in more detail.

28. Catch a complimentary concert at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square Unbeknownst even to many Londoners, St Martin-in-the-Fields hosts a series of free lunchtime concerts on most Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Showcasing new and emerging talent, musicians’ styles vary but the quality is generally excellent.

29. Walk along the treetops at Kew Gardens, Richmond

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Rising 18 metres above the ground, the Xstrata Treetop Walkway at Kew Gardens gives naturalists the opportunity to examine soaring lime, chestnut and oak trees up close, as well as providing impressive views of the Gardens’ sprawling grounds.

30. Drink in history London's mottled history means interesting stories are never far away. You can drink in some of the city's most curious tales by undertaking a tour of the historically relevant pubs and bars that stand throughout the capital. From the tavern where the Great Train Robbery was planned to Lenin's favourite haunt, they're all listed in our guide to London's best historical pubs.

Tower Bridge is raised about 1,000 times per year, but at irregular intervals dependent on when the need to let ships pass occurs. To be sure of seeing the spectacle – or of avoiding it if you need to cross the Thames in a hurry – you can find scheduled lift times on the Tower Bridge website.

33. Watch the Changing of the Guard, Buckingham Palace The Changing of the Guard takes place at Buckingham Palace at 11.30am on set days throughout the year - see the website for the most up-to-date info on timings - but to watch the process away from the main crowd consider waiting for the Horse Guards to pass up the Mall at 10.45am. Then wait at St James’s Palace to see the Old Guard and band depart for the palace at 11.15am.

34. Traverse the Greenwich Foot Tunnel, Greenwich Renovated in celebration of its centenary in 2012, the atmospheric Greenwich Foot Tunnel allows pedestrians to burrow under the surging Thames. The exit at the Greenwich Discovery Centre leads to Greenwich’s Old Naval Hospital, Maritime Museum and Observatory.

35. Take a candlelight tour of Sir John Soane’s Museum, Holborn A cornucopia of antiquities and curiosities rests in the 18th-century home of the architect Sir John Soane. Now a charming, anachronistic museum, it’s beautifully illuminated during its candlelit openings on the first Tuesday evening of each month. It's a wonderfully different way to experience this venue but expect crowds and queues - only the first 200 people in line are admitted to this evening session.

36. Visit London's listed Tube stations For those who work in the city, commuting in London is an ordeal. Travel on the Tube outside of peak hours, however, and the experience could conceivably considered pleasant. One of the network's most impressive attributes is the range of architectural styles and design flourishes it features. In fact, many stations have been listed as a result of these features and you can see a guide to those stations here.

37. Eat somewhere new London is unquestionably one of the world's best culinary destinations, and that position is being consolidated year-on-year by the opening of innumerable innovative restaurants and bars. Each month I preview the most promising new venues scheduled to open in the city, alongside information on unusual new pop-ups, menu launches and dining experiences. To stay informed, have a look each month at the Telegraph's guide to London's best new restaurants and bars.

38. See shows for free at The Scoop, London Bridge Seating 800 people, The Scoop at More London is an outdoor sunken amphitheatre. Throughout summer it hosts a varied programme of free cultural events, from film screenings to music performances to theatre shows.

39. Walk through London’s Royal Parks

Five of London’s Royal Parks are in the centre of the city, and a walk through them shows how lush and leisurely central London can be if you know which way to go. The Royal Parks website has interactive maps showing you what facilities are available in each one. A stroll that incorporates visits to St James's Park, Green Park, Regent's Park & Primrose Hill, Hyde Park and Kensington gardens should take about three hours to complete.

40. Investigate London at the London Metropolitan Archives, Clerkenwell If you really want to learn more about London then a visit to the London Metropolitan Archives is there to assist you. The centre hosts regular exhibitions, talks and shows relating to the heritage of London and its vast collections of historical records are accessible to the public too.

41. Eat at Brixton Village, Brixton

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In Brixton, the dining scene has improved drastically with the opening of Brixton Village (a three-minute walk from the Tube station, just off Altantic Road). In a converted shopping arcade, its dozen or so affordable, unpretentious eateries have sprouted from supper clubs, interesting pop-up projects and the like, and are youthful, exciting and welcoming – the food, of course, is reliably tasty and inventive too.

42. Explore Eltham Palace, Greenwich The luxurious Art Deco Eltham Palace was a royal residence and, later, the stylish 1930s home of Stephen and Virginia Courtauld, and their pet lemur. A sumptuous stately home with tranquil manicured lawns, it’s a popular spot with day-tripping couples.

43. Indulge in a spa treatment

The Espa Life spa and Away spa at the Corinthia Hotel

London’s most luxurious hotels are fighting hard for custom, and a number have revitalised the offerings at their on-site spas. We profile which properties’ spas are worth a visit – and which should be avoided – here.

44. Walk around the issues Anyone who considers political issues humdrum and predictable will be set right by this ultimate political tour of London. From revealing the Soho home of Karl Marx to the Atheneaeum Club's regal connections, it unveils the historic settings that many of us pass by unknowingly daily.

45. Visit the London Canal Museum, King’s Cross One of London’s lesser-known museums, the small London Canal Museum enthusiastically recounts the story of England’s canals. It often shows archive films, leads towpath walks and hosts occasional children’s activities.

46. Bob along on the bookshop barge

Paddy Screech, co-owner of Word on the Water. Image: Ril Schroer

The bookshop barge Word on the Water is – as you’d probably expect – London’s only floating second-hand bookshop. Generally for two weeks at a time, it moors in Camden Lock, Angel, Hackney and Paddington, and offers music performances and poetry slams in addition to the books on sale.

47. Join a chocolate-making workshop at William Curley, Belgravia Chocolatiers William Curley and his wife Suzue met while working at the Savoy and now run the irresistible William Curley chocolate emporium in Belgravia. Aspiring confectioners can join weekend classes at the shop to learn how to make their most popular treats, including velvety chocolate truffles and salted caramels.

48. Tour Fuller’s Brewery, Chiswick Fuller’s London Pride beer is available in pubs throughout the capital so touring the brewery where it’s made could be considered an expression of local patriotism. Hosting about 20 tours a week - but on weekdays only unfortunately - the brewery explains the entire brewing process to visitors, and awards all those over 18 with a pint at the end.

49. See the Lord Mayor’s Coach in situ at the Museum of London, London Wall The ornate Lord Mayor’s Coach can be seen during the Lord Mayor’s Parade each year, but, if you miss it then, it’s still possible to view the lavish gold and red carriage at its permanent display space in the Museum of London.

50. Get back to nature at Mudchute City Farm, the Isle of Dogs

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There are city farms throughout London, but 32-acre Mudchute is the biggest. Open throughout the year, but best in spring and summer, it houses all the farm animals you’d expect, and llamas. Its on-site riding school is also popular.

This article was first published on April 18, 2012, and updated in full on August 12, 2014.